Assurance…. A hallmark doctrine of Methodism….. yet do we really “get it?” It is not “all about the heart”….. it’s only about the heart after it’s been circumcised and healed by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit operating by invitation to Jesus to take control of one’s life……
Hebrews 6:19 (AMP) “This hope [this confident assurance] we have as an anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it]—a safe and steadfast hope that enters within the veil [of the heavenly temple, that most Holy Place in which the very presence of God dwells]…”
THIS STEADFAST HOPE THAT GIVES ASSURANCE IS THE HOLY SPIRIT PROVIDED TO US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST WHO ABIDES IN US, ANCHORED TO OUR SPIRIT, TETHERED TO THE PLACE CREATED FOR HIM FROM THE BEGINNING…. CALLED THE “IMAGE OF GOD” IN ALL MANKIND….. Ignore your spirit, deny you soul and body its anchor by rejecting the filling of your spirit with the HOLY SPIRIT of CHRIST and you will never know the peace and joy of the abundant life JESUS CHRIST died for you to have…..
Read 1 Thessalonians 5 (AMP)with special note of verse 23-
“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, COMMUNE with you, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—CONSECRATED to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may YOUR SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY ( in that order!) be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
It doesn’t begin in the heart or the mind or the will, all are components of the soul. It begins with OUR spirit regenerated, brought alive by the power of Christ’s SPIRIT and coming to ABIDE in us. It is the WITNESS of His Spirit in communion with our spirit that consecrates and brings imparted righteousness, that work of transformation and sanctification within… I guess to the extent that one must FIRST DECIDE to BELIEVE Christ and TRUST GOD’S WORD and RECEIVE HIS SPIRIT, then the process begins, as soon as we surrender our unbelief and step out in faith, and even THAT is a work of Prevenient GRACE by GOD that continues until we say “YES!” When God places the imparted righteousness on us, COMMISSIONING us to come alongside as co-laborers with Christ to bring the kingdom into being….. first in us, our family, as the Body of Christ grows to embrace the whole world.
Susie Larson, once again, “speaks” to me and says PEACE IS HERE:
“When life takes a sudden turn or when the storms shake the ground beneath us, we quickly see how tightly we’re clinging to things that were never meant to anchor us. We instinctively panic because we don’t want to lose the stuff we’re white-knuckling, but, dear one, the Prince of Peace is on the scene. He is with you. He reaches for you. He speaks peace to your soul and healing to your heart. You need Him more than your desires, and He holds you more firmly than your fears hold you. Try letting go. Try trusting Him here. Try imagining the good things He has planned for you in the future. Breathe deeply today. Steward only what He assigns. Let go and trust Him. He has you.”
(Just my own humble opinion which no one ever listens to anyway until they live in our ministry house and get discipled day in and day out for months til it takes root and starts to sprout. So do with it as you will. But I know by the Word and Spirit and through my personal experience and that of many we’ve worked with, that this does, in fact , teach, even if takes too long to preach….)